Congress responds to Obama with bitter partisan split

WASHINGTON — Here are some highlights of the congressional reaction Thursday to President Obama's executive action on immigration:

REPUBLICANS

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio:

"Instead of working together to fix our broken immigration system, the president says he's acting on his own. That's just not how our democracy works. The president has said before that 'he's not king' and he's 'not an emperor,' but he's sure acting like one. And he's doing it a time when the American people want nothing more than for us to work together."

House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.

"Rather than listen to the American people and change course, President Obama is going rogue, doubling-down, and driving full speed towards a constitutional crisis. By assuming legislative power and ignoring the limitations placed on his authority, President Obama threatens to unravel our government's system of checks and balances and imperils individual liberty."

"The great task before the nation now is to resist this imperial decree and return control of this nation to its own citizens — as our Constitution established. That task begins with Congress refusing to allow a dime of money to be spent executing this unlawful amnesty. This a routine, constitutional and crucial application of congressional power."

"President Obama is using his pen to help the country and we celebrate his courage. We all must recognize that no executive action is a substitute for legislation, so the fundamental challenge of getting legislation through the Republican-controlled House remains the same."

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz.:

"The actions he announced will provide relief for millions of people who want nothing more than to be our fellow citizens and contribute to our society. The price of entry to the United States of America should not be severed family ties, exploitive employment, or the fear of deportation. These executive actions will help ensure that is not the case for millions of deserving people."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.:

"Millions of families in our nation and thousands in Nevada will no longer have to live in fear of losing a loved one to deportation. The president's executive action will not only keep families together, it will enforce our immigration laws in a way that protects our national security and public safety. It will strengthen our economy by creating new jobs and allowing these families to fully contribute to the only country they call home."

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.:

"We passed a comprehensive and bipartisan immigration bill by an overwhelming margin last year in the Senate. But you just can't get some of the reactionaries in the House of Representatives to move. So I think the president should have done this. He certainly has the legal authority. The bottom line is this: we need to act fairly toward our people and also to help keep the economy moving."